Vol. 18 No. 1 (2024): Media indicators, citizenship and governance. Opportunities for public policy and greening the media system.

Thematic editors

Silvia Olmedo Salar
silviaolmedo@uma.es
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7193-3009
Carmen del Rocío Monedero Morales
roi@uma.es
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3222-029X
Manuel Chaparro Escudero
mch@uma.es
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5630-4009
University of Malaga (Spain)

About this monograph

Media indicators are measures or metrics used to evaluate and analyse the information media from different perspectives, and are essential to understand the impact and commitment of the media to society, culture and public opinion. The growing interest in measuring from democratic perspectives and concern for the Common Good, has come at the hands of the recommendations of UNESCO and its "Media Development Indicators" (2008), "Quality Indicators of Public Broadcasters:" (2012) or "Methodological Manual UNESCO Indicators of Culture for Development" (2014). Measuring the ethical aspects of media work, the concentration of ownership, the plurality of the system and the effectiveness of public policies has also been a concern in the EU, thus, in 2008, the European Commission and the European Parliament promoted the creation of the "Media Pluralism Monitor".

The interest in the proper functioning of the media system, especially the audiovisual system, has transcended the economistic matrix and the quantitative results of audiences to focus on the transparency of business management, the suitability and quality of content, truthful information against to disinformation strategies, citizen participation and regulatory compliance, among the most important aspects.

In recent years, this interest in identifying good practices and formulas for socialising values and strengthening democratic quality in the media has mobilised researchers, public institutions and national and international organisations, as well as information professionals themselves to create tools and guides aimed at this purpose. The challenges facing the design and application of indicators affect on all sectors of the media system: public, private commercial and private non-profit media, without losing sight of the new scenarios opened up by digital platforms and virtual social networks.

Media indicators play a fundamental role in the evaluation and analysis of the media sector and in accountability to citizens, helping to detect failures and strengths. Media indicators aim to facilitate the improvement of the media system to be useful for citizenship construction, and are therefore necessary tools to promote greater democratisation, more inclusive, diverse and critical societies.

CV thematic editors

Silvia Olmedo Salar, Professor in the Department of Journalism at the University of Malaga and member of the Communication and Culture Laboratory Comandalucía (TIC-015). Her main areas of research focus on media indicators of social profitability; radio, podcast and sound innovations and communication in the field of international cooperation. Author of more than 60 publications in national and international journals and books. As a journalist, she has developed most of her professional work in the EFE Agency and in radio, with collaborations also in press and television.

Carmen del Rocío Monedero Morales is a journalist, full professor in the Department of Journalism at the University of Malaga and Vice-Dean of Infrastructures, Business and Environmental Sustainability in the Faculty of Communication Sciences at the UMA. Is a member of several research teams focused on communication deontology, educational innovation and media indicators in audiovisual media. Has participated in national and international projects, conferences and publications related to the areas of research described above, as well as to cultural communication.

Manuel Chaparro Escudero, Professor of Journalism at the University of Malaga. IP of the Communication and Culture Laboratory. Author of numerous books and articles. More recently, notable monographs include: " Keys to rethink the media and the world we inhabit. The dystopia of development" (2015), "Radical Communication. Depatriarchalising, decolonising and ecologising media culture" (2022) with Susana de Andrés. Researches on communication and post-development, decolonial narratives and public policies.

Publication: 27 June 2024

Published: 27-06-2024